Jorng Jam Cambodian-Australian oral history and exhibition collection

Biography of Nov Oeub's life in Cambodia before and during and after the Khmer Rouge Regime. She and her family spent more than 9 years in refugee camps. They arrived in Australia in 1987. 

Interviewees: Nov Oueb  Location: Oueb’s house, Logan - QLD. 
Date: June 2015
Interviewers: Neak Sophal, Kong Vollak, Neang Kavich & Kim Hak
Documentarian: Pip Kelly

Interviewees: Nov Oueb  Location: Oueb’s house, Logan - QLD. 
Date: June 2015
Interviewers: Neak Sophal, Kong Vollak, Neang Kavich & Kim Hak
Documentarian: Pip Kelly

Transcript of oral history in Khmer with a basic parallel English translation.

Two colour photographs of Nov Oeub with husband and children in refugee camps in the 1980s and a black and white photo of Lee Mathlee (Oeub's first husband) and family, Phnom Penh, 1970?. Oeub describes and points to this photograph in the oral history interview. 

Three artworks  created for Jorng Jam exhibition which appeared in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia in 2014 and Brisbane, Australia in 2015. 

Image number: 32056-0006-0001:

“Piss and Drink” by Neak Sophal, 2015

Neak Sophal, photographer. Born Cambodia 1990, lives in Phnom Penh.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT: Nov Oeub was tested by a Khmer Rouge spy. After complaining of being hungry, the spy asked for something to eat. Oeub was kind to the spy and gave her rice. When the spy asked for a drink, Oeub replied with a joke “you will have to piss and drink if you want water as well!” Oeub was punished very badly after that, and was taken to work far away from her family and children.

Image number: 32056-0006-0002:

"Coconut Scraper" by Kim Hak 

Image number: 32056-0006-0003:

“Axe and Wood” by Kim Hak, 2015

Kim Hak, photographer. Born 1990, lives in Phnom Penh.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT: This axe belonged to Nov Oueb’s second husband Sok Teun. They were married in Battambang before travelling to Kao-I-Dang camp in 1979. He had this axe with him when they met. At first she did not want to marry him but he insisted.

Till now, this axe is still used to cut firewood.

Biography of Lim Kim Vang, born in 1952 in Palin Province and escaped to a Thai refugee camp in 1975 with his family. He then escaped to Australia. He returned to the refugee camps in Thailand to help repatriate families. He worked as an interpreter and coordinator for traditional Khmer arts, dance, music and woodwork. 

Interviewee: Lim Kim Vang  

Location: Lim Kim Vang’s house - Mt Warren Park, QLD. 
Date: June 2015
Interviewers: Neak Sophal, Kong Vollak, Neang Kavich & Kim Hak
Documentarian: Pip Kelly

Interviewees: Lim Kim Vang   Location: Lim Kim Vang’s house - Mt Warren Park, QLD. 
Date: June 2015
Interviewers: Neak Sophal, Kong Vollak, Neang Kavich & Kim Hak
Documentarian: Pip Kelly

Transcript of oral history in Khmer with a basic parallel English translation.

11 photographs, some of family, some of refugee camps in Thailand and refugees Lim Kim Vang worked with. 

Two artworks created for Jorng Jam exhibition based on the life of Lim Kim Vang.

Image number: 32056-0012-0012:

"Through the War" by Kong Vollak, 2016

The artwork came after the exhibition but relates directly to Lim Kim Vang's interview where he and 1800 people escaped across the Thai boarder by the light of the full moon. Lithographic print, edition 2 of 8, 56 x 76 cm.

Image number: 32056-0012-0013:

“English Dictionary of Lim Kim Vang” by Kim Hak, 2015

Kim Hak, photographer. Born Cambodia 1981, lives in Phnom Penh.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT: These are Lim Kim Vang’s belongings.

The English dictionary was a gift from his teacher, while he was studying to be a Buddhist monk.

Four months after the beginning of the Khmer Rouge regime, he crossed the jungle at night with 1800 other escapees. His dictionary came with him. Books were banned during the regime. If a soldier or spy caught someone reading, the person was declared educated and immediately executed.

My family came close to being killed at one point as my father had kept his English and French books. When a spy found that out, my parents knew what would happen. So that very night, they fled with my sisters Kim Sreyroth and Kim Tharan and my brother Kim Chanthara. They hid in another village where they could their background.

Seeing this book for the first time, reminded me about the books of my father, Kim Hap.

Biography of Lim Vy, born in 1957 in Kampot. Under the Khmer Rouge she worked 20 hour days plowing fields and building dams. When the regime ended she and her family walked across the country searching for relatives. She spent time living illegally in a Thai refugee camp hiding her family from the Thai soldiers. She obtained official support to live in the refugee camp in 1986 and came to Australia in 1988. 

Interviewees: Lim Vy  Location: Lim Vy's house, Logan - QLD. 
Date: May/June 2015
Interviewers: Neak Sophal, Kong Vollak, Neang Kavich & Kim Hak
Documentarian: Pip Kelly

Interviewees: Lim Vy  Location: Lim Vy's  house, Logan - QLD. 
Date: May/June 2015
Interviewers: Neak Sophal, Kong Vollak, Neang Kavich & Kim Hak
Documentarian: Pip Kelly

Transcript of oral history in Khmer with a basic parallel English translation.

Three photographs of Lim Vy. Two are of her time in Khao-i-dang refugee camp in 1985 and the other is of her and her children travelling between camps in 1986. 

“Lim Vy” by Neang Kavich, 2015 (One track video)

Neang Kavich, film-maker. Born Cambodia 1987, lives in Phnom Penh.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT: Lim Vy is a hard worker. Her experience living under the Khmer Rouge regime and escaping across the Thai border before she flew to Australia is just like a living nightmare that follows her into sleep.

By the end of 1983 she arrived illegally into Khao-I-Dang camp with her young family. In order to hide from Thai authorities, Lim Vy and her family, hid underground in a small bunker (1m square) until 2am each night.

Time and space is my inspiration to make a short film about her memories of the past. When the sun goes down, I use my camera to follow her daily activities. The night represents her experiences living under the dark period of the Khmer Rouge regime.

Kay Sy Chhun was born in 1947 in Kampong Chhang. She trained to be a nurse and when she was evacuated from Phnom Penh in 1975 she was a practicing nurse.

Interviewees: Kay Sy Chhun.   Location: Kay Sy's Chhun’s house, QLD.  
Date: June 2015
Interviewers: Neak Sophal, Kong Vollak, Neang Kavich & Kim Hak (Daughters present)
Documentarian: Pip Kelly

Interviewees: Kay Sy Chhun.   Location: Kay Sy Chhun’s house, QLD.  
Date: June 2015
Interviewers: Neak Sophal, Kong Vollak, Neang Kavich & Kim Hak (Daughters present)
Documentarian: Pip Kelly

Transcript of oral history in Khmer with a basic parallel English translation,

Seven photographs taken before, during and after the war of Kay Sy Chhun and her family. One photograph shows the travel documents allowing her and her family into New Zealand. 

These artworks was created for the Jorng Jam exhibition which appeared in Phnom Pehn, Cambodia in 2014 and Brisbane, Australia in 2015. 

Image number: 32056-0024-0001:

"Protection Yorn" by Neak Sophal, 2015

Neak Sophal, photographer. Born Cambodia 1981, lives in Phnom Penh.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT: Sy Chhun Kay’s faith and kindness is still alive, even after many years of war, Pol Pot’s regime and hardship.

Nowadays she still has her ‘Yorn’ cloth that was given to her by her teacher in 1968. Almost every day she prays in Pali (the oldest Buddhist language) and keeps her ‘Yorn’ with her when she travels.

Her ‘Yorn’ helped her to cross the Thai border safely to the refugee camps even though she was stopped by robbers and interrogated. She strongly believes that it keeps her safe and happy.

Image number: 32056-0024-0002:

"Khmer Identity Card and Cambodian Gem Stones", Kim Hak, 2015

Indentity card of Kay Sy Chhun from the 1960s

Image number: 32056-0024-0003:

"Buddha, Gold and Krama" by Kim Hak, 2015

Kim Hak, Photographer, born 1990, lives in Phnom Penh.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT: This gold necklace belonged to Sy Chhun Kay’s husband. Survivors of the regime, faced shootings by Thai armies and robberies on their way from Cambodia to the border camps.

People hid valuable things in many discreet places, sometimes inside their underwear.

Sy Chhun Kay hid her gold in the end of her Krama (Khmer scarf). Her Krama covered her neck or head – hiding the precious things inside.

Chhoun Ponh was born in 1958 in Svay Sisophen and Chhen Than was born in 1953 in Battambang. They met and married at the start of the Khmer Rouge regime. They worked together on dam building until they were separated for a time. Later they made it to Khao-­I-­Dang refugee camp and escaped to Australia in 1986. 

Interviewees: Than Chhen and Chhoun Ponh.   Location: Chhen household, Marsden, QLD. 
Date: June 2015
Interviewers: Neak Sophal, Kong Vollak, Neang Kavich, Kim Hak & Akara Chhen
Documentarian: Pip Kelly

Interviewees: Than Chhen and Chhoun Ponh.   Location: Chhen household, Marsden, QLD. 
Date: June 2015
Interviewers: Neak Sophal, Kong Vollak, Neang Kavich, Kim Hak & Akara Chhen
Documentarian: Pip Kelly

Transcript of oral history in Khmer with a basic parallel English translation.

Three photographs of the Chhen family, one taken while they were at the Khao-i-dang refugee camps the other two after their arrival in Australia.

Two artworks created for Jorng Jam Jorng Jam exhibition based on the story of the Chhen Family.

"Pregnant Orange" by Neak Sophal, 2015 & "Champa" by Neak Sophal, 2015

Image number: 32056-0030-0001 & Image number: 32056-0030-0002

Neak Sophal, photographer. Born Cambodia 1990, lives in Phnom Penh.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT: Oranges and Champa are plants that Chhoun Ponh and Chhen Than have never forgotten. When Ponh was pregnant she had a strong passion to eat oranges so they both ventured out of their district to find some.  They were arrested by Khmer Rouge soldiers and held in an old villa for one week. They thought they would be killed, but then they were helped by relatives and freed. Champa was growing in the front of the old villa. Now, Than grows this plant at home to remind him.

Earrings and Australian 20 cent coin "Coming Home" by Kim Hak, 2015
 

Image number: 32056-0030-0003

Kim Hak, photographer. Born Cambodia 1981, lives in Phnom Penh.

 ARTIST’S STATEMENT: These earrings belong to Chhoun Ponh. Ponh and her family fled to the Thai border camp Kao-I-Dang on November 30th, 1979. After Than saved up some money by working 2 jobs in the camp, they exchanged 3 small cans of rice for these sapphire earrings. After 10 years, Ponh’s family moved to Australia in 1989. She will pass them onto her first daughter, Chhen Kosal.

Thach Thanh was born in Kampuchea Krom an area that historically part of Cambodia but lost to the Vietnamese around 1949. His heritage is known as Khmer Krom but his first language is Vietnamese. He is Khmer and Cambodian. 

Interviewees: Thach Thanh   Location: Thach Thanh’s house - Logan - QLD. 
Date: May 2015
Interviewers: Neak Sophal, Kong Vollak, Neang Kavich & Kim Hak
Documentarian: Pip Kelly

Interviewees: Thach Thanh   Location: Thach Thanh’s house - Logan - QLD. 
Date: May 2015
Interviewers: Neak Sophal, Kong Vollak, Neang Kavich & Kim Hak
Documentarian: Pip Kelly

Transcript of oral history in Khmer with a basic parallel English translation.

Three photographs of Thach Thanh during his time in the army. 

Sam Sarm was born in 1961 in Kampong Speu. She took care of her younder syblings while her parents worked and therefor couldn't attend school. She escaped to Thailand in 1979 and met her husband in the camps in 1984. She and her family were sponsered by other family already in Australia. 

Interviewees: Sam Sarm   Location: Sam household, Marsden, QLD. 
Date: June 2015
Interviewers: Neak Sophal, Kong Vollak, Neang Kavich & Kim Hak
Documentarian: Pip Kelly

Interviewees: Sam Sarm   Location: Sam household, Marsden, QLD. 
Date: June 2015
Interviewers: Neak Sophal, Kong Vollak, Neang Kavich & Kim Hak
Documentarian: Pip Kelly

Transcript of oral history in Khmer with a basic parallel English translation

Photograph of the Sam family at Khao-I-Dang refugee camp and travel documents issued to the Sam family by the Australian Government.